Tax Ombudsman: High Court suspends contempt order

Federal Tax Ombudsman issued contempt notices to two members of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal.

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday suspended an order of the Federal Tax Ombudsman in which he had issued contempt notices to two members of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal. Justice Mansoor Ali Shah issued the order on the petition of Income Tax Appellate Tribunal judicial member SJ Khan and accountant member MB Tahir. Justice Shah asked the tax ombudsman to submit a copy of the report as well as his reply by March 5. The petitioners through their counsel Hafiz Tariq Nasim had contended that the FTO had served show cause notices to them on December 21, 2011 for committing contempt while issuing orders that they passed while discharging their duties. The petitioners’ counsel said that observations made by an appellate or high court in a judicial order or judgment were protected under Section 16 of the Contempt of Court Act.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 4^th, 2012.